Luggage locks



March 28, 1967 J. B. HUMPHRlEs LUGGAGE LOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 30, 1964 March 28, 1967 J. B. HUMPHRIES 3,3l0970 LUGGAGE LOCKS Filed Oct. 30, 1964 2 Shecs-SheefI 2 INVENTOR- Ja/U E fwzzpizres BY United States Patent O 3,310,970 LUGGAGE LOCKS John B. Humphries, Stamford, Conn., assigner to The Excelsior Hardware Company, Stamford, Conn. Filed st. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 407,825 16 Claims. (Cl. 70--70) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 258,984 led February 18, 1963, now Patent No. 3,188,839 entitled Latch for Luggage and Like Cases.

The invention of this application relates to luggage locks, more particularly it relates to luggage locks adapted for use on hard sided luggage such as the now popular luggage molded from reinforced plastic materials.

Luggage locks for molded luggage preferably, not only perform the function of holding closed the cases on which they are mounted, but serve to align the top and bottom elements of the cases during closure. This is because the molding process creates quite large variations from piece to piece such that precise mating of lock elements and the top and bottom pieces of a case to which they are mounted cannot be insured. Overstuliing the middle of the case las its frequently done `by travelers aggravates the problem.

Because of the rough handling to which such luggage is subjected, particularly on air flights, luggage locks for molded luggage must be capable of sustaining large impacts from any direction. As a consequence of this, it is desirable that they not protrude very far from the side of the case on which they are mounted.

Although such molded luggage is produced for a mass market and must therefore employ locks that are inexpensive to mass produce, such luggage is sold on the basis of its luxuriousness and the locks thereof must provide a positive action, a luxurious sound, and a convenient and appealing manipulation. Operation of the locks is one test invariably performed by every customer before purchasing luggage.

Locks providing the above features have hithertofore required the precise mounting on precisely mating luggage pieces of precisely interfitting hasps and button plates, use of multiple hasp pieces employing pivoting movement, or complicated pivoting toggle locks recessed within a groove molded in the case.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a luggage lock for molded luggage.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a lock capable of providing an aligning function between the luggageV pieces to which its elements are mounted.

A further object of the invention is to providesuch a lock having a thin profile for mounting to the surface of a luggage case.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a luggage lock of the above character providing a positive action, a satisfying manipulation and a luxurious sound.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a luggage lock of the above character providing a push-button action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a luggage lock of the above character having no pivoting parts.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a luggage lock of the above character comprising a few stamped metal parts.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a luggage lock of the above character with an optional key locking feature.

A further object of the invention is to provide a luggage lock of the above character requiring no additional hardware such as screws or rivets for mounting to a luggage case.

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Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention `accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection, with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view partially cut away of a luggage case employing luggage locks according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view partially cut away and partially in section of the right luggage lock of FIGURE 1 when opened; Y

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the right lock of FIGURE 1 when closed;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of the right luggage lock shown in FIGURE l when closed and key locked; and,

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the right luggage lock of FIGURE 1.

The same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The luggage lock of the present invention generally comprises a cast top or strike providing a pair of prongs loosely mating with a cast bottom cover. One of the prongs of the strike is notched to form a hook for engagement with a similarly notched bolt.

The hook is loosely engaged by the bolt so that quite a large amount of play is allowed between the bottom cover and the strike to compensate for poorly mating case pieces. The two prongs of the strike `facilitate closure of such poorly mating pieces. The second prong cooperates with the hook and hook and prong receiving openings in the bottom cover to prevent separation of the loosely mating strike and bottom cover.

The action of the luggage lock -of the present invention is entirely enclosed within the cast bottom cover and is entirely comprised of stamped sheetmetal parts. The parts of the action comprise a lateral push bar (of which the bolt is an integral part) and a vertical push bar. The push bars are biased by compression springs in mutually perpendicular directions. A step is formed on one push bar and interengages with an upstanding tab on the other to provide two stable positions for the bars-one with the lateral push bars spring compressed and the horizontal push bars spring relaxed; the other with the horizonal push bars spring compressed and the lateral push bars spring relaxed. In the first of these positions, the hook of the strike is engaged by the bolt; in the second, it is released.

The push bars are provided with tabs accessible from outside the bottom cover. The push bar tabs are thus push buttons--one is depressed to release the strike, the other is depressed to'engage lthe strike.

The push bars are mounted within a stamped sheet metal box. The manual operation of one push bar releases the other and under the influence of its spring it strike smartly against the box to provide .a clearly audible indication that the lock has operated.

Thus, the lock action of this invention requires but two sliding parts and two springs.

The invention provides for key locking. An upstanding tab is mounted on the horizontal push bar for engage. ment with a key operated tumbler comprising integral spring and cam engaging means for establishing locked and unlocked positions thereof. The box is pr-ovided with cam and guide opening receiving studs mounted on the tumbler. Thus, the key locking feature may be provided by the addition of a single element.

The cast top or strike and bottom cover of the luggage lock of the present invention are provided with hollow upstanding studs that may be conveniently peened over to hold the box and the lock action within the bottom cover and for mounting the bottom cover and the top or strike to the luggage without the use of screws, rivets, or the like.

More specifically and referring to FIGURE 1, a luggage lock 12 according to the present invention comprises a cast metal top or strike 13 interengaging with a hollow cast metal bottom cover 14 mounted to the upper and lower portions 16 and 18 of a luggage case generally indicated at 20. The strike 13 is latched to the bottom cover 14 by manually pushing lateral push-button tab 22 toward the bottom cover 14. The strike 13 is similarly released from the `bottom 14 by pushing the vertical pushbutton tab 24 up. When the lateral pushbutton tab 22 is pushed in, the vertical push-button tab 24 snaps down. When the vertical push-button tab 24 is pushed up, the lateral push-button tab 22 snaps out.

The case 2() is provided with a second luggage lock 26 according to the present invention. Each part of luggage lock 26 is the mirror image of a corresponding part of luggage lock 12.

Now referring to FIGURES 2 and 7, the top or strike 13 has integrally cast therewith prongs 28 and 30 that loosely iit in apertures 32 and 34 formed in bottom cover 14. Prong 28 -comprises a hook 36 engageable by a similarly formed hook shaped bolt 38 within the bottom cover 14.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 7, the lock action of the present invention protected within the cast bottom cover 14 is comprised of a box 4t), a vertical push bar 42 and a horizontal push bar 44, each formed of stamped sheet metal. A vertical push bar spring 46 and a lateral push bar spring 43 bias the push bars 4i) and 42. The lock action also comprises an optional key operated tumbler S9.

The lateral push bar 44 is preferably flat except for the upstanding push button tab 22. The lateral push bar 44 is guided in its lateral movement by the flat inner face 52 of the bottom cover 14, the opposed ilat surface of the vertical push bar 42, engagement of the protruding edges 54, 56 and 58 of the lateral push bar 44 with the upstanding sides 60 and 62 of the box 40, and by channel 64 of box 40.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, lateral push bar hairpin spring 48 is mounted in wall 49 of box 40 and pushes against the edge 45 of lateral push bar 44 to bias it to the leftas seen in FIGURES 2 and 4.

Vertical push bar 42 is bent outwardly in a raised position 23 so that push-button tab 24 may be almost as wide as the lock 12 is thick. The vertical push bar 42 is provided with upstanding edges 66 and 68 for guiding its motion within the box 40. The upstanding portion 66 and 68 ride along the bottom and adjacent sides of the box land raised portion 23 rides in channel 25 of wall 62 of box 40.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 4 and 7, vertical push bar W spring 46 pushes against wall 60 of box 40 and upstanding portions 67 and 69 of Vertical push Ibar 42 to bias it downward.

The lateral push bar l44 is provided with a step 70 interengaging with an upstanding tab 72 of the vertical push bar as can fbe seen in FIGURES 2 and 7. When the vertical push bar 42 has been pushed up, the lateral push bar 44 will be pushed by lateral push bar spring 48 to the left and tab 72 of the vertical push .bar 42 will rest on the upper horizontal edge of step 70 as seen in FIGURE 2.

When the lateral push bar 44 has been pushed to the right as seen in FIGURE 4, vertical push bar 42 will be biased downward by vertical push bar spring 46 and tab 72 will come to rest against the lower horizontal edge of step 70. The lateral push bar 44 then cannot be moved to the left due to the engagement of the edge of the tab 72 with the vertical edge of step 70.

As can be seen in FIGURE 4, hook 36 and bolt 38 are provided with conforming diagonal surfaces providing camming interengagement to pull the top 13 against the bottom cover 14. When the case 20 is overilled and the upper portion 16 bows, prong 30 maybe brought into opening 34 by pressure on the right front corner of case 20. Because of the bowing, hook 28 will not be fully inserted in opening 32, but will =be cammed in by the bolt 38. Thus, the upper and lower portions 16 and 18 of the case 20 and the locks 12 and 26 are aligned and securely closed. It should be noted that the force for engaging the bolt 38 and the hook 36 is provided directly by the operator and does not depend upon the operation of any spring or spring operated part within the lock.

The box 40 and its lock action is held within the bottom cover 14 by three integral hollow studs 74, 76 and 78 which are fitted through holes 80, 82 and 84 of box 40 and peened over. The bottom cover 14 and top 13 are similarly held to the luggage case 20 by four integral hollow studs S6, 88, and 92.

Referring to FIGURE 7, key operated locking feature is optionally provided by a iiat tumbler 50 within the lock 12. Tumbler S0 has a pair of upstanding studs 94 and 96 that iit respectively into cam opening 98 .and guide opening 16? of the box 4t). Tumbler 50 is provided with an integral spring arm 162 which by riding against side 62 of box 40 biases stud 94 against the cup shaped cam surfaces of cam opening 98.

Thus, as seen in FIGURE 6, tumbler 50 is provided two stable positions, one to the left and one to the right. When tumbler 50 is in the position shown in FIGURE 6, step portion 164 thereof cooperates with tumbler tab 106 formed in vertical push bar 42 to prevent upward movement of vertical push bar 42, thus locking the lock.

Aligned keyholes are provided in the bottom cover 14, lateral push bar 44 and vertical push bar 42 to permit insertion of a key 10S (FIGURE 6) to operate `the tumbler 50. A key guide hole 1G18 is provided in the box 40 in which the key pivots. The circular portion of the keyhole in the lateral push bar 44 is of a smaller diameter than the tumbler operating part of the key to form a ward.

A portion 112 of channel 25 in side 62 of box 40 is relieved to pass tab 106 of vertical push bar 42 during assem-bly.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A luggage lock comprising, in combination:

(A) a iirst push bar, spring biased to move along a irst substantially linear path;

(B) a second push bar, spring biased to move along a second substantially linear path,

(a) said iirst and second paths lying in substantially parallel planes;

(C) interlocking means on said first and second push bars causing them to interlock to establish two interlocking stable positions for said push bars;

(D) a lbolt mounted on one of said push bars; and

(E) manually accessible means on each of said push bars for moving same against its bias from one stable position to the other.

2. The luggage lock defined in claim 1 and:

(F) key operable locking means for locking one of said push bars against manual movement thereof.

3. The luggage lock dened in claim 2, wherein said key operable locking means `locks said push bar to which said bolt is not mounted.

4. A luggage lock as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second paths are substantially normal to one another.

5. The luggage lock defined in claim 1, wherein said bolt is mounted on said first push bar, and:

(F) a strike engageable by said bolt,

(a) said first and second push bars being in a first stable position when said strike is so engaged, wherein said first push bar is moved against, and said second push bar is moved away from, their respective biases, and

(b) said first and second push bars being in a second stable position when said strike is not so engaged, wherein said first push bar is moved away from, and said second push bar is moved toward, their respective biases.

6. The luggage lock defined in claim S and:

(G) key operable locking means for locking one of said push bars against manual movement thereof.

7. The luggage lock `defined in claim 6, wherein said ykey operable locking means locks said second push bar.

8. A luggage lock for a luggage case comprising, in combination:

(A) an elongated strike adapted to be mounted to one element of the luggage case (a) a bolt engagable hook protruding from said strike,

(b) a guide prong protruding in the same direction from said strike as said bolt engageable hook;

(B) a bottom adapted to be mounted to a mating element of the luggage case for engagement with said elongated strike (a) a pair of openings in said bottom, each loosely accommodating one of said hook and said guide Prong;

(C) a first manually operable push bar movable along a first substantially linear path,

(a) a bolt mounted to said first push bar for engaging said hook; and

(D) a second manually operable push bar movable along a second substantially linear path in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said first path, and interlocking with said first push bar to cause said bolt to remain engaged with said hook until said second push bar is manually operated to release the same.

9. The luggage lock defined in claim 8 wherein said bolt and said hook comprise conforming cam surfaces whereby said guide prong may be rforced into said guide prong opening in said bottom to align said hook with said bolt, and said bolt may then be operated to cam said hook into said hook opening to close the luggage case.

10. The luggage lock defined in claim 8 and (F) a key operable tumbler movable from a first position interengaging with said second push bar to prevent manual operation thereof to a second position not interengaging said second push bar and freely permitting manual operation thereof.

11. A luggage lock for a luggage case comprising in combination:

(A) a strike adapted to be mounted to one element of a luggage case;

(B) a bolt engageable hook mounted on said strike;

(C) a bottom cover adapted to be mounted on a mating element of the luggage case for engagement with said strike when the case is closed;

(D) a bolt within said Ibottom cover spring biased to a first position where it does not engage said hook;

(E) a manually operable bolt actuator mounted to said bolt, and

(a) when said bolt is in said first position said bolt actuator extending beyond said cover and operable along a first substantially linear path to move said bolt against its bias to a second position into engagement with said hook (b) at which position said manually operable bolt actuator is substantially within and protected by said cover;

(F) spring biased bolt locking means interengaging with said bolt when said lbolt is in said second position to lock the same in said second position; and,

(G) manually operable means extending beyond said cover mounted to said bolt locking means and operable along a second substantially linear path in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said first path to release said bolt whereby it moves to said first position to :release said hook.

12. The luggage lock defined in claim 11, and:

(G) a key operable tumbler mounted in said cover and movable between two positions, and when in one of said positions interengaging with said bolt locking means to prevent manual operation thereof.

13. A lock for a luggage case comprising in combination:

(A) a bolt engageable hook;

(B) a box;

(C) a first push bar contained within said box;

(D) a bolt integral with said first push bar;

(E) a first push bar compression spring between a first end of said box and one end of said first push bar;

(F) a step shape edge on said first push bar;

(G) a second push bar contained within said box;

(H) a second push bar compression spring between a second end of said box and one end of said second push bar, p

(a) said first and second ends of said box being substantially perpendicular to one another;

(-I) an upstanding tab on said second push bar (a) engaging the inner edge of said step vunder the urging of said second push bar spring when said hook is engaged by said bolt,

(b) said first push bar then tightly compressing said first push bar spring;

(I) a first manually operable pushbutton tab integral with said first push bar and opposite said first push bar spring; and,

(K) a second manually opera-ble pushbutton tab integral with said second push bar and opposite said second push bar spring.

14. The lock defined in claim 13 and:

(L) a key operable tumbler in said box comprising,

(a) integral spring means engaged with an end of said box, and

(b) a pair of upstanding studs extending into openings in said box establishing locked and unlocked positions for said tumbler; and,

(M) a tab mounted on said second push bar engaged by an edge of said tumbler when in its locked position to prevent movement of said second push bar toward said second push bar spring.

15. 'Ille lock defined in claim 13 wherein said box and said first and second push bars are formed of stamped sheetmetal.

16. The lock dened in claim 15 wherein said hook is an integral part of a cast metal strike and:

(L) a cast metal cover within which all other defined elements of said lock are contained 7 (a) a said rst push button being outside said 2,294,120 cover when said hook is not engaged by said 2,819,603 1bolt and protected within said cover when said 3,183,691 hook is engaged by said bolt 3,206,953 (b) said second push button being always pro- 5 -tected Within said cover but accessible from out- Side- 352,106

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS l@ 2,183,121 12/1939 Levine 70-70 X FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LUGGAGE LOCK COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A FIRST PUSH BAR, SPRING BIASED TO MOVE ALONG A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR PATH; (B) A SECOND PUSH BAR, SPRING BIASED TO MOVE ALONG A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR PATH, (A) SAID FIRST AND SECOND PATHS LYING IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL PLANES; (C) INTERLOCKING MEANS ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND PUSH BARS CAUSING THEM TO INTERLOCK TO ESTABLISH TWO INTERLOCKING STABLE POSITIONS FOR SAID PUSH BARS; (D) A BOLT MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID PUSH BARS; AND (E) MANUALLY ACCESSIBLE MEANS ON EACH OF SAID PUSH BARS FOR MOVING SAME AGAINST ITS BIAS FROM ONE STABLE POSITION TO THE OTHER. 